SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 15: Emerson Hancock #26 of the Seattle Mariners pitches during the first inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 15, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Let’s run it back.
Leg two of the Vedder Cup begins Friday in Seattle. The Mariners got swept in the first set in San Diego, so they’ll need to sweep at home in order to have a chance in the tie breaker, which is run differential (Padres lead 16-9) then average exit velocity in the series (Mariners lead 88.8 to 88.6).
Randy Vásquez and Emerson Hancock face-off again in game one. Both pitchers spent years toiling without the ability to miss bats, and both pitchers have suddenly figured it out this year, getting tons of whiffs and strikeouts. They may be their respective league’s most improved players. I wrote about the changes for Vásquez last month at FanGraphs, and on the same day, Michael Rosen outlined the changes for Hancock. The Mariners put up a four-spot on Vásquez last time out, and Hancock held his own. But the Mariners ultimately lost that game after Andrés Muñoz allowed five runs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Padres enter the series as one of the luckiest teams in baseball. For more on that, Jake Mailhot has you covered in the series preview.
The Mariners lineup looks a bit different with Cal Raleigh now on the IL. Randy Arozarena moves up to bat cleanup, and the lefty quartet each moves up behind him. Jhonny Pereda is behind the plate today and bats ninth.
Lineups:
News:
The Mariners provided updates about several players before the game. Kate Preusser has the latest:
Game Information:
Game time: 6:40 PT
TV: Mariners.TV
Radio: 710 AM Seattle Sports, with Rick Rizzs and Gary Hill Jr.
Petco Park (Photo by Meg McLaughlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Nine days ago, the San Diego Padres placed their starting second baseman, Jake Cronenworth, on the seven-day injured list. The bats have gone cold against quality starting pitching, and the loss of Cronenworth has completely paralyzed the Padres’ offense. It has left a noticeable void at the bottom of the order.
It is still unclear how severe his injury is or how long he will be gone. Keep in mind that concussions are rarely a two-week IL stint. The organization remains optimistic, but it would be reckless to put Cronenworth back in the lineup unless he is fully healthy.
Hopefully, this setback is short-term, and the two-time All-Star will be back in the fold soon.
Padres’ offense needs to improve its run-scoring production
The depleted lineup must find ways to score runs. Friars manager Craig Stammen has resorted to sacrificing defense to bolster the offense. He inserted Nick Castellanos into the lineup as the primary rightfielder and moved Fernando Tatis Jr. to second.
Unfortunately, the results have not been promising. Castellanos has shown limited range in the outfield, and his bat has looked slow going through the zone.
Granted, he did homer to tie the final game of the series against the St. Louis Cardinals, which the Padres won in extra innings. No question, this is Castellanos’ shot to show his value to the team. It may take a few more consecutive starts before he regains his former stroke and becomes a lethal run-producer.
Andujar and thrilling late-inning victories
Thankfully, Miguel Andujar has taken the challenge and become one of the Friars’ top run producers. He is hitting .289 with three home runs and 12 RBI in 114 at-bats. Andujar has stabilized the middle of the order. The lone negative is his high strikeout rate (19.5%), which is well above his career average of 15.8%.
Thrilling, late-inning victories have become this team’s trademark. This season, the Friars have won 11 games in the seventh inning or later. A stark contrast from the five wins achieved in 2025. The late-game magic has accounted for nearly half of their 25 wins.
Gavin Sheets has hit three go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning, including a walk-off three-run blast against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park in April.
The heroics have masked the inconsistency with the lineup. Stammen might experiment with the lineup’s order to jumpstart the struggling offense.
Preller on the prowl for a bat
Padres President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller is still on the hunt for another bat, as you never have too much hitting on your roster. The absence of Cronenworth proves the gap in the lineup.
Time will tell if the Friars have enough minor-league prospect trade chips to acquire a productive, proven hitter.
The Padres have shocked the world by playing even with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the National League West. They need to dig themselves out of their current predicament and become more productive at the plate. .
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 19: Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns brings the ball up the court during the fourth quarter of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.
Man, I drew the short end of the stick on this one, didn’t I? This is the topic in our point/counterpoint series that nobody wanted to touch. Why? Because it’s not an easy argument to make. It’s the basketball equivalent of going to Costco at noon on a Sunday. You know it has to be done, but you still don’t want any part of it.
That said, part of our job here at Bright Side of the Sun is providing holistic perspectives on the different paths available to the Phoenix Suns. The goal is to give you, the reader, a broader understanding of the options sitting in front of this organization. Yesterday, Bruce Veliz laid out the reasoning for why Phoenix should re-sign Collin Gillespie, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Today, I’m here to explain why the Suns should let him walk. Let’s see if I can actually pull this off.
I’ll start by acknowledging that Collin Gillespie turned into a player the Phoenix Suns gambled on and actually hit on. That feels increasingly rare these days. Watching him grow and develop into someone worthy of these conversations has been genuinely enjoyable.
Phoenix isn’t the only organization that recognizes what he is now. Teams around the league are going to have interest in him this offseason, especially because he’s entering his fourth year in the NBA and could still be viewed as a value signing on the right contract.
5 players the Celtics could target with their $15M mid-level exception, per @NBCSBoston's Justin Legler:
– Coby White – Anfernee Simons – Collin Gillespie – Mitchell Robinson – Robert Williams
So you have a desirable asset that opposing front offices are absolutely putting on their boards as a target this offseason. Why would the Phoenix Suns let Collin Gillespie walk?
The only real reasoning I can come up with is one of two things. Either the Suns don’t view him as part of their long-term plans, which I don’t believe is true, or he becomes a little too expensive for their comfort level, which I’m also not entirely convinced happens.
My guess is he lands somewhere in the $12 million range annually, and maybe that becomes the sticking point. Phoenix could find itself prioritizing staying below certain tax thresholds while also deciding that Jordan Goodwin is a bigger long-term priority.
Honestly, the bigger factor might not even be Phoenix. It might be Gillespie himself.
I think Collin is a bench player. A damn fine one, but in the Suns’ current ecosystem, that’s where he is best served. I think continuing to roll out three-guard lineups with Dillon Brooks at power forward is the wrong direction next season. Gillespie makes the most sense as the second-unit leader. If that role and fit aren’t something both sides agree on, then he could absolutely look elsewhere.
This ultimately comes down to what he wants. There are going to be teams willing to give him the Tyus Jones treatment, not financially, role-wise. More minutes. More opportunity. A cleaner path to starting.
The ball is really in Collin’s proverbial court. Does he want to remain a backup in Phoenix for at least another season as the Jalen Green experiment continues to unfold? If the Suns and Gillespie can’t align on role and fit, then he walks. Not because Phoenix necessarily wanted him gone, but because he wanted something different.
The only other scenario where the Phoenix Suns let Collin Gillespie leave is if another team simply offers more than Phoenix believes he’s worth.
If the Suns view him strictly as a backup guard, then you start asking what the proper price point is for that role. Especially if you’re keeping Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale. At that point, you’re committing roughly $40 million to reserve players. That’s not necessarily a bad strategy. Depth matters. Bench production matters. You still have to decide if that’s the allocation of money you’re most comfortable with. Do I think that’s ultimately what happens? No. Still, like a rogue shopping cart drifting through a Costco parking lot, I’m simply trying to navigate the thought exercise.
And honestly, that’s what makes this such an uncomfortable conversation in the first place. Collin Gillespie is the kind of player every fan base falls in love with because he earned every inch of his NBA existence. Phoenix found value, development, toughness, and stability in a place where they desperately needed all four. The problem is the Suns are no longer operating in a world where good stories alone dictate decisions. Every roster spot, every rotation role, and every dollar has to align with a bigger vision. If Phoenix and Gillespie see that vision differently, the ending might feel frustrating even if it makes basketball sense.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 12: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 12, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, especially sites of the opposing team. Be polite and don’t insult your hosts.
The Silver and Black return to the hostile confines of Target Center for the first time since the Elbowmania 1 on Mother’s Day with a chance to close out the series and advance to the conference finals against the Oklahoma Thunder, who have been twiddling their thumbs since finishing a sweep of the Lakers on Monday night. The Timberwolves won’t go easily, and the crowd should be frenzied after watching Wemby lose his cool in the first half of Sunday’s game and getting what they believe was a light punishment for the infraction.
The Spurs are coming off of a blowout win on Tuesday night, but with a couple of days off, the Timberwolves have had time to make some adjustments. Minnesota tied the game in the third quarter of Game 5, and they are looking to find out how to duplicate the effort that got them back into the game for long enough for them to steal another game and take the series back to San Antonio for a Game 7, where anything can happen.
The Spurs don’t have any players listed on the injury report for tonight, and they are looking to close out the series and advance to the conference championship on Monday, and not let the rugged Timberwolves beat them up for an additional 48 minutes on Sunday. Dylan Harper has been spectacular for the Spurs in this series, and he supplements Wembanyama’s dominance in the starting lineup by sparking the bench unit to keep pace when Victor sits. Keldon Johnson had his best game of the series on Tuesday, and if he can continue that tonight, it would be very helpful for the visitors. If Julian Champagnie and the rest of the Spurs can unlock their three point shooting it could be a nice night for the Silver and Black.
Look for the Spurs to keep trapping and double teaming Anthony Edwards whenever he has the ball. He’s good enough to beat the double teams enough to still be spectacular, but so long as no one else on the Timberwolves has a big night scoring, it’s a win for the visiting team. LETS GO SPURS!
Game Prediction:
The Minnesota crowd starts out booing Victor Wembanyama, but he wins them over in the second half by rescuing a kitten stuck on top of the backboard. [There’s a unconfirmed rumor that the cat was placed there by Gregg Popovich, but that’s just scuttlebutt.]
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves, Second Round, Game 6 May 15, 2026 | 8:30 PM CT Streaming: Prime TV: Prime Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Defenseman Jonas Brodin and center Joel Eriksson Ek were unable to play for Minnesota in the second-round series against Colorado in the NHL playoffs because of broken bones in their feet, the veteran stalwarts revealed Friday in season-ending interviews with reporters.
Brodin suffered a fracture in the big toe in his right foot when he blocked a shot in Game 5 of the Wild's first-round series against Dallas, requiring surgery and forcing him to miss the clinching win over the Stars and all five games against the Avalanche.
The Wild were eliminated on Wednesday in a 4-3 overtime loss in Denver, with both Brodin and Eriksson Ek relegated to watching the game on TV. Their defensive acumen, physical presence and playoff experience were all missed against the high-scoring Avalanche, who had the best regular season record in the league.
Brodin, who finished his 14th season in the NHL, all with the Wild, was aiming to return at the end of the conference finals if they were to advance.
“It’s awful to not play in the playoffs," Brodin said. "Best time of the year.”
Eriksson Ek, who finished his 10th season in the NHL, all with the Wild, broke the heel bone in his right foot in Game 6 against Dallas. He took part in practice in a limited basis before Game 3 against Colorado last week, but he said he was unable to fully push off the foot on the ice.
“You want to play,” Eriksson Ek said. “I just couldn't do it. Too painful to skate.”
Brodin also had to miss the Olympics this year when surgery on an earlier lower body injury kept him from playing for Sweden.
“It’s a frustrating year. We’ve got to stay positive and come back stronger next year,” Brodin said.
Luke Weaver left the Yankees for the Mets in the offseason.
In his last experience facing the Yankees’ best hitter in a major league game — before a possible rematch Friday — Luke Weaver was schooled on proper etiquette.
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Then pitching for the Reds in 2023, Weaver caught flack from Aaron Judge for not acknowledging him with a head nod when Judge came to bat against him for the Yankees.
The two were teammates in the Cape Cod League as collegiate players.
“We hadn’t seen each other in quite a bit,” the Mets reliever said Friday before the Subway Series commenced at Citi Field. “Aaron Judge was at the plate, and I was in a bit of a trying season, so I needed all the energy I could muster. We had a laugh about it, and he made it a big deal, but in a light, kindhearted way.”
Luke Weaver throws a pitch for the Mets during their April 30 game. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
Weaver spent the past two seasons as Judge’s teammate, but has reverted to wearing an opposing uniform.
He entered Friday with a 4.15 ERA in 17 appearances for the Mets this season.
“There was some light communication, I think respectful communication, and just like staying in touch,” Weaver said. “But I think they were wanting to go in a different direction, so there wasn’t anything major in our discussions about returning.”
Luke Weaver gets pulled by Yankees manager Aaron Boone during a September 2025 game. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Weaver, who pitched to a 9.64 ERA last September before having two ugly postseason outings in three appearances, said he holds no animosity toward the Yankees for wanting to move on from him.
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“I have a lot of great, fond memories,” said Weaver, who pitched for the Yankees in the 2024 World Series. “For me individually down the stretch, it didn’t quite click the way it did the year before. Circumstances change and roles change and obviously results sometimes change.”
Weaver had a brutal stretch last month (he pitched to a 7.20 ERA in April), but entered Friday with five straight scoreless appearances.
“I think there were a couple of outings there where I kind of lost myself mechanically,” Weaver said. “It was kind of hard to get ahead in counts and I was pitching behind a lot.
“Lately, things have been going pretty good. Like our team, we go through waves and we’re trying to find ways to get back on track where we feel confident and we’re flowing the right way. I just want to continue to keep that momentum and not change based off who is stepping in the box and just attack.”
May 14, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Nick Castellanos (21) walks back to the dugout after striking out in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
San Diego Padres (25-18) at Seattle Mariners (22-23), May 15, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
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When it comes to compliance with its media policy, the NHL doesn't mess around.
On Friday night, the league announced that it has stripped the Las Vegas Golden Knights of a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft for "flagrant violations" of the NHL's media policies. The NHL also fined coach John Tortorella $100,000.
Via Jesse Granger of The Athletic, Tortorella declined to speak to reporters after the Golden Knights clinched a berth in the Western Conference finals. The Golden Knights also refused to open the dressing room after the game. Only three players were made available to reporters.
"The imposition of these penalties comes after previous warnings were issued to the Club regarding their compliance with the Media Regulations and other associated policies," the NHL said in a statement.
The team has the ability to appeal the punishment.
In the NFL, players are from time to time fined for not complying with the media policy. More often, players fail to comply and the media (which needs to go along to get along with the team they cover) won't file a complaint.
NFL teams and/or coaches are almost never punished for violations of the media rules. Then again, teams almost always ensure that the obligations are fulfilled.
Even as the NFL becomes a multi-billion dollar behemoth that can bully anyone and everyone, the league still realizes that media coverage constitutes free advertising. An ever-growing number of outlets devote tremendous time, effort, and attention to covering — and necessarily promoting — the sport, at no cost to the stewards of it. And so, even if the league reserves the right to take issue with some of the coverage, the league continues to embrace it.
As it should. Because the price for it is always right.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 14: Chase Dollander #32 of the Colorado Rockies leaves the game with medical staff in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on May 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday afternoon, Colorado Rockies right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander spoke with the media about a right elbow injury that led to him being removed from yesterday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and being placed on the 15-day injured list today.
Dollander described his injury as “just a very minor UCL sprain. That’s just what the MRI showed. I have a little information around the ligament, nothing to be too concerned about. Just thanking God that it wasn’t more than that. Obviously, it’s probably the best case scenario. Trying to look at the positive side.”
This comes as good news for both Rockies fans and for Dollander, who looked despondent in the locker room after yesterday’s game.
“If anything happens in that area, your mind automatically goes to the worst case scenario,” Dollander explained. “But you know, as I started to sit with it and talk to some people, I kind of knew going into the MRI this morning that it probably wasn’t what I thought it was. So again, thank God that it wasn’t. This could be a very different conversation.”
Dollander mentioned that he had experienced some discomfort following his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I started to feel it right after the Philly start, but as I threw it kind of went away,” he said.
“And then for whatever reason [on Thursday] it just never went away. So I’m glad the trainer saw it and came out and got me because, me, I would have stayed out there and possibly could have blown myself out.”
Dollander told the media he spoke with his agent, his off-season pitching coach, and some of his other friends. They helped assuage his concerns.
“They all said typically it’s just one pitch, one moment, and you feel a nervy kind of sensation in your fingers,” described Dollander. “I never felt that.”
He further discussed the advice he got that helped him calm down.
“It’s the worst-case scenario, you know, but that’s where my head was at with it,” Dollander said. “I never want to say it (Tommy John), but they were just trying to calm my nerves and stuff. So it helped a lot.”
“He reached out to me and made sure I was okay,” Dollander said. “He just told me ‘Don’t overthink it. Just wait for the results and go from there. He’s very good with advice like that.”
Dollander was placed on the 15-day injured list this afternoon, though he doesn’t know when he’ll return to action.
“We’re still waiting for some answers and some things like that,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have a timetable here soon, but the main thing is just not to rush, to make sure it doesn’t turn into something it doesn’t need to be.”
The 24-year-old former ninth overall pick also took a moment to reflect on his season so far.
“The past couple of outings haven’t really gone the way I intended them to go,” he said. “But I’m just constantly learning, constantly on the attack, and making sure that I am where I need to be. I feel like so far it’s been good, but there’s definitely room for improvements there.”
May 9, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Athletics pitcher Aaron Civale (45) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: James A. Pittman-Imagn Images | James A. Pittman-Imagn Images
Tonight, the Athletics look to get back to winning ways as they kick-off a three-game series against their regional rival, the San Francisco Giants, in West Sacramento. While this rivalry matchup does not feel the same in the wake of the A’s departing Oakland to eventually relocate to Las Vegas, Sutter Health Park should be packed with fans this weekend given the strong fanbase both of these teams have collected across Northern California.
Yesterday, the A’s bullpen blew its American League leading 10th save of the season. The St. Louis Cardinals scored two runs off A’s reliever Jack Perkins in the ninth to turn a one-run deficit into a one-run lead and leave town with the series victory. It is imperative that the A’s move on and turn their attention toward the Giants, who at 18-26 are off to a rough start. Having lost the final two games of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Giants are also hungry for wins as they look to build momentum.
Right-hander Aaron Civale will take the mound for the home squad in this evening’s series-opener. The 30-year-old has far exceeded fans’ expectations, doing exactly what the A’s envisioned when they signed him in free-agency this past offseason. He enters his ninth start with a 4-1 record, a 2.59 ERA and 33 strikeouts across 41 2/3 innings. Civale earned the win in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles, recording six strikeouts over five scoreless innings. The team would love for him to continue his strong run of form tonight against a Giants’ offense that has scored the fewest runs in the league.
It is good to see center fielder Henry Bolte in the lineup for the third straight day, and the second straight against a right-handed pitcher. Lawrence Butler gets the start in right field over fellow left-handed hitter Carlos Cortes, a somewhat puzzling decision given that Cortes has contributed more offensively lately, though Butler is the stronger defender. The A’s gave Butler a contract extension before the 2025 season began following his stellar performance over the final few months of the previous season. Both Butler and the team would benefit if he can go on another one of those hot streaks.
Veteran right-hander Tyler Mahle starts for San Francisco. The 31-year-old has struggled through his first eight starts with the Giants, going 1-4 with a 5.18 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. In his last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mahle received a no-decision after allowing four runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. In two previous starts against the A’s, Mahle went 0-2 with a 1.50 ERA. The “Green and Gold” aim to have more success against Mahle tonight after his strong performances in their previous meetings.
The Giants have several well-regarded hitters in their lineup, so it seems unlikely that they will keep struggling offensively much longer. Civale needs to be careful when pitching to former A’s player third baseman Matt Chapman and first baseman Rafael Devers.
Additionally, catcher Daniel Susac will be in the spotlight. The A’s declined to protect their 2022 first-round pick ahead of the Rule 5 Draft this past offseason. The Minnesota Twins selected Susac and then traded him to the Giants for minor-league catcher Miguel Caraballo and cash. Susac got off to a strong start before getting injured and is now back in the lineup against his former organization.
A win would put the A’s two games over the .500 mark and assure that the team will remain in first place at least for one more day. Not to mention, it would further perpetuate the Giants’ miserable start to the season. Let’s go A’s!
After years of evaluating players during high school, grassroots and college basketball games, NBA teams gathered in Chicago this week to conduct medical exams and put the best draft prospects in the world through measurements, agility testing, shooting drills and scrimmages. Hundreds of front office executives were at Wintrust Arena, and inevitably a few draft narratives emerged along with the wingspans, vertical jumps and medical reports.
The early speculation is the top-four players in this class are set but the order in which they'll be selected remains up for grabs during the pre-draft process. There's also a promising group of guards projected as the next best available prospects, so much so there could be promising wings and big men capable of jumping into the top-10 and late lottery picks. The late first round outlook could change in the coming weeks, with several players poised to return to college due lucrative NIL opportunities.
USA TODAY Sports was in the building in Chicago during the NBA Draft Scouting Combine sifting through the latest rumors and speculation after the NBA Draft lottery. Some picks have changed based on the intel. Here's our updated 2026 NBA mock draft based on what we learned from Combine workouts and interviews:
The Philadelphia Flyers are expecting to have everyone fully healthy by the time training camp rolls around in a few months... with the exception of one forgotten prospect.
During his end-of-season press conference, Flyers general manager Danny Briere revealed that Nikita Grebenkin is the only player he believes could miss time into the summer and/or training camp.
"There's one, maybe Grebenkin, depending on how it goes," Briere said.
"Initially, we thought it was going to be something short, and it just never got better. Now we're looking at different options for him, so he's the only one that I would say maybe, if it doesn't improve."
Grebenkin, 23, was originally given a seven-to-10-day timeline for his undisclosed upper-body injury, which was announced back on March 26.
The eclectic Russian forward was supposed to be re-evaluated afterwards, and it's clear that any and all ensuing evaluations did not put him in a position to return to the Flyers by the end of the season.
For the remainder of the season, including the playoffs, Grebenkin never resumed skating, though it is worth noting that he was not observed to be sporting any kinds of casts or slings while in the press box during the postseason.
In the injury update the Flyers released shortly before Briere's press conference, Grebenkin's injury was described only as an "upper-body injury," whereas Christian Dvorak, for example, was specified to have played through a broken rib and separated shoulder.
Owen Tippett, of course, had released a joint statement with the team relaying his battle with a sports hernia and an unrelated bout with internal bleeding, so it would be hard to imagine this is simply an oversight by the team rather than something deliberate to protect the player.
Baltimore Orioles' Jordan Westburg (11) watches the flight of the ball after hitting a pitch as Tampa Bay Rays catcher Danny Jansen, right, looks on during the seventh inning of a baseball game, July 20, 2025, in Tampa, Fla.
Jordan Westburg’s 2026 season is over before it even started in a huge blow for the Orioles.
Westburg, 27, underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias announced Friday.
The infielder, who has a partial UCL tear, was hoping to play this year after receiving a plasma injection on Feb. 20, MLB.com reported.
Baltimore Orioles’ Jordan Westburg (11) watches the flight of the ball after hitting a pitch as Tampa Bay Rays catcher Danny Jansen, right, looks on during the seventh inning of a baseball game, July 20, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Westburg, selected by the Orioles with the No. 30 pick in 2020, has had trouble staying on the field since being called up by Baltimore midway through the 2023 season.
The 2024 All-Star fractured his throwing hand in the second half of that same season and missed over a month of 2025 while rehabbing a left hamstring strain.
Westburg had been building on his throwing progression following the plasma shot before being shut down earlier in May due to recurring discomfort in his elbow.
“He’s hanging in there the best he could,” Baltimore manager Craig Albernaz recently said, according to MLB.com. “But also, it weighs on you. You want to be out here, you want to be out here competing, being with the boys, playing the game he loves. … Yeah, it sucks. I feel for him.”
Jordan Westburg of the Baltimore Orioles gets hit by a pitch during a game against the Yankees in 2024. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
When healthy, Westburg has proven to be a key part of the Orioles’ lineup, posting a slash line of .265/.313/.457 with 53 doubles and 38 home runs in 260 games over the past three seasons.
Westburg is just the latest addition to a slew of injuries for Baltimore to start 2026, with over a dozen players now on their injured list less than two months into the season.
Albernaz, who has used 41 players in just 44 games, told reporters that everyone has to be “ready to compete” as injuries plague the roster.
“The next-man-up mentality is real,” Albernaz said, according to Baltimore Baseball. “All our guys will go there ready to compete, doesn’t matter who we have. First of all, they’re trying to win the game. We gotta look at things differently and do things differently.
“We’ve gotta try to do whatever and evaluate every aspect to make sure that we’re taking care of our guys and we’re doing the right thing around here, and that’s something I’m challenging the whole staff on. That’s a point of emphasis right now.”
As of Friday, the plan was for Cole to make two more rehab starts — the next one coming Saturday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre — before he could rejoin the Yankees by the end of the month.
Cole will likely build up to 80-plus pitches Saturday and then repeat that threshold in what would be his seventh and potentially final rehab start. Saturday marks the 30th day of his rehab assignment, typically the maximum allowed for pitchers, though they can be extended (with the player’s approval) if they are coming back from Tommy John surgery.
Gerrit Cole is making his way back from elbow surgery for the Yankees. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
All along, Cole has been on board with taking his time in his rehab process, sticking to a 14- to 18-month timeline for a return — with last Monday marking 14 months since surgery.
“Just wanting to build him correctly and safely,” Boone said. “Just want to get him to a threshold to where he’s in a good spot. … Just want to be disciplined to coming off of a serious injury where he missed a lot of time. Want that build to be a steady one and one that puts him in the best position to come back and have a lot of success up here.”
The likely fill-in between Fried and Cole is Elmer Rodríguez, who had replaced Luis Gil in the rotation for two starts before Carlos Rodón returned from the IL last weekend.
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Entering Friday, Cody Bellinger had some drastic home/road splits — batting .377 with a 1.259 OPS in 19 games at Yankee Stadium and .188 with a .516 OPS in 24 road games. He then went 1-for-5 with an RBI double against the Mets.
“I think part of it is he is cut out for our ballpark,” Boone said. “One of the reasons we went and got him was we feel like he’s set up for Yankee Stadium. But that said, I would expect these things to balance itself out a little bit with how good a player Belli is.”
Ben Rice crushed his 14th home run of the season in the ninth inning off Craig Kimbrel, capping off a strong three-hit night. He and Aaron Judge (16 homers) are the second pair of Yankees teammates to record 14 or more home runs through the team’s first 45 games of a season, joining Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris (1961).
In his second game of the season, Anthony Volpe drew three walks for the first time since March 28, 2024.
For most of the past three years, the Senators and their fans have been bracing themselves for the loss of an upcoming first-round draft pick. And for much of this season, it looked like this was going to be the year.
After former management failed to disclose that Evgenii Dadonov had a 10-team no-trade list when trading him to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2021, the league came down hard on the Senators, docking them a first-round draft pick. It was something they would have to forfeit in either 2024, 2025 or 2026.
Many Senators fans were steamed with the Golden Knights for lobbying the league as hard as they did to penalize Ottawa for what had happened. After all, the punishment didn’t help the Knights at all, and it's not like they lost the asset. They successfully traded Dadonov to Montreal a few months later.
On Sens Nation, THN's Steve Warne says the Senators biggest needs aren't at forward.
Now, a little over a month away from the NHL Draft, in a stunning turn of events, it’s suddenly Vegas that will lose a 2026 draft pick, not the Senators.
Two months ago, after considerable lobbying of the league by the Senators, the NHL agreed to take their forfeited draft pick off the table. They amended the penalty, giving the club back a first-round pick, although it will be 32nd overall, while insisting on a $1 million fine.
Meanwhile, it’s Vegas that will suddenly have to give up a pick this summer.
The league punished the Knights on Friday for their behaviour following the clinching game against the Ducks on Thursday night. Head coach John Tortorella, who needs to be the centre of controversy as badly as he needs oxygen, declined to speak with the media after the game and the Ducks did not open the dressing room to reporters.
As a result, the NHL announced Friday that, because of “flagrant violations” of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs media regulations, the Knights will forfeit a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, while Tortorella was fined $100,000.
Apparently, for the Knights, this was not a first-time offence. The league’s press release went on to say that the penalties came after previous warnings had been issued to Vegas regarding compliance with media regulations and other associated policies. The Knights will have the chance to appeal at the commissioner’s office in New York next week.
They did make two players, Brett Howden and Mitch Marner available to the media. Before taking questions, though, Marner warned reporters he would have to wrap things up within 10 minutes for fear that Tortorella would order the team bus to leave without them.
And it was truly hard to say if he was kidding or not.
It’s possible this was a protest or statement, similar to what the Barrie Colts did the night they advanced to the OHL Final. In that case, after the Colts were told they couldn't have the whole team in on the media availability, head coach Dylan Smoskowitz and captain Kashawn Aitcheson answered every media question by saying, “Nobody cares. Work harder.”
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Knights post game behaviour was also a protest.
“I guarantee you that thing last night was in reaction to the McNabb suspension,” Friedman said on Friday, guesting on The FAN Hockey Show. “They were really upset about it.”
Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb was suspended for one game for his late hit that injured Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Poehling during Game 5 of the series.
A second-round pick and $100,000 fine is a pretty damn expensive protest, especially when you consider that McNabb’s one-game suspension (for Game 6) was now over.
Whether it was a protest or not, how could a Senators fan do anything but chuckle at all of this?
I mean, imagine that. It's Vegas that will lose a pick in next month’s draft and not Ottawa. For Sens fans, the irony is delicious.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
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